Bills

Juneau – Today, Alaska Governor Michael J. Dunleavy put forward legislation to change the long-standing authority that allows municipalities and boroughs to collect taxes on all property within their jurisdiction. Senate Bill 57 would allow the State of Alaska to collect the entirety of taxes on petroleum property, depriving municipalities and boroughs of a reliable revenue stream that has funded schools and essential public services for decades.

Juneau – Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) has pre-filed the “Toxic-Free Firefighters and Children Act” for consideration by the 31st Alaska State Legislature. House Bill 27 would make it illegal to manufacture, sell, or distribute new products in Alaska with certain flame-retardant chemicals. The bill also requires manufacturers to label products made with flame retardant chemicals.

Juneau – Today, Representative Andy Josephson pre-filed legislation to make vital improvements to Alaska’s Workers Compensation system. House Bill 30 features several improvements including adjusting benefits for inflation for those receiving Permanent Partial Impairment (PPI) and death benefits. These benefits have not been adjusted for inflation for approximately 20 and 50 years, respectively. The bill increases the PPI index from $177,000 to $255,506 and requires annual updates to account for inflation. The bill also adjusts the death benefit for financial dependents up to $100,000 from the current level of $20,000 set in 1968.

Anchorage – Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) has pre-filed public safety legislation requiring the timely testing of sexual assault/rape kits in Alaska, which often go untested. House Bill 20 will help prevent a backlog of untested kits by requiring testing within six months.

Anchorage – Today, Representative-elect Zack Fields (D-Anchorage), Rep. Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage), Rep. Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage), and Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux (R-Anchorage) announced they would pre-file legislation for the upcoming 31st Alaska State Legislature to address the significant increase in vehicle theft across Alaska. Last year the rate of vehicle theft spiked by nearly 40 percent compared to 2016. The pre-filed legislation will require mandatory minimum jail time of at least 120 days for vehicle theft, with lengthier sentences for aggravating factors.